Internal-combustion engine.



1D. H. FRANCIS; INTERNAL COMBUSTIONLNGINE.. APFALI'CATION FILED Dfc.-`7'-,"1\9:l5.

` Patented June 12, 191.7.

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Attorneys n D. H. FRANCIS.

#NTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

- QPPLICATION FILED DEQ-2T', QIS. it pgQQye' j Patented June 12, 1917 v Inventor Witnesses Attorneys communication with the` ports 10, .while` the intake manifold 13 is located at the opposite 4to vregister with the ports 8, 9, 10 and 11,

said ports and passage 17 beingpreferably elongated longitudinally of the housing and valve. The larger end of the valve- 16 is spaced from the respective cap 15 to provide an auxiliary combustion chamberl 18 with which the passage 7A comnunicates. The larger end of the valve 16 has a pairof diametrically opposite oblique passages 19 extending from the end face of the valve to 'the circumference or periphery thereof adjacent the/respective ends of the passages 17,

and the housing 6.is provided with passages 20 lwith which the passages 19 are adapted to register, there being one of the passages or ports 20 for each of the ports 10 and 11, and

`said passages 2O being located adjacent and in communication with the respective ends of the said ports 1() and 11, as seen in Fig. 4.

In order to enable the valves to be rotated simultaneously, a stem 21 is secured rigidly in any suitable manner to the smaller end of each valve coaxial therewith, and I.'twasher 22 is disposed on each stem 21 and seats against the smaller end of.l the respective housing 6. Coiled wire expansion springs 23 are disposed between the washers 22 and elements 24 secured to the stems\2`1, whereby the springs 23 draw the valves 16 snugly within the housing 6 to hold said valves normally seated. All but one of the stems 21 ex-v tend through the respective caps 15 of the companion housings 6, and the free endsv of said stems fit slidably in sockets or recesses 26 with which the larger ends of the respec tive valves are provided. The ends of the said stems 21have keys or splines 27 engaging the respective valves 16, to constrain all Aof the valves to rotate in.unison, although the valves and stems can reciprocate or `slide slightly relative to one another without breaking the connection therebetween. This allows each valve to adjust itself relative to its housing. The caps 15 through which the stems 21 project, are preferably provided with suitable packing means 25 to prevent leakage.

The remaining stem 21, seen at the left end in Fig. 1, is journaled through a bracket 28 lattached to the respective end cylinder, and

has secured thereon a sprocket wheel 29 connected by an endless sprocket chain 30 with a sprocket wheel31 keyed upon the crank shaft. The sprocket wheel 29 has a diameter four times as large as the sprocket wheel'l, in order that the gear ratio between the crank shaft and valves will be 4 to 1. It is evident that the valves must be properly arranged accordingto the timing of the explosions, so that the valves are operated according to the"occurrences of the explosions in the respective cylinders, said explosions occurring in succession according to well established practice. It is evident that when the caps 15 aredetached from the housings 6, the valves can be readily moved from said housings, for purpose of cleaning, repair or replacement, and the parts can be readily-ase sembled and properly positioned. Since the valves 16 are normally drawn snugly into the housings under the influence of the springs 23, there will be no loose play of the valves within their housings, and the valves will rot-ate silently and snugly within theirV housings. It is also to be ynoted that when the, housings 6 contract and expand, due to changes in temperature, the valves can adjust themselves accordingly, since when the housings expand, the valves will be drawn farther into the housings by the springs 23, and when the housings contract, they will force the valves backward against the tension of the springs 28. i This provides for a snug fit of the valves at alltimes, to avoid leakage and loose play.-

Since the operation of all of the valves is especially to Fig. 3, wherein the piston is illustrated as being at the end of the explosion stroke, the valve 16.rotating in thel direction of the arrow, the passage 17is just starting into communication with the exhaust ports 8 and 10. Now, as the piston i `the same, the operation of a single valve I will suffice for all of them. Referring.

exhaust manifold 12, the passage 17 moving j past the ports 8 and 10 as the piston 5 moves through its exhaust stroke, and when the piston 5 reaches the end of its exhaust stroke, the passage 17 will come to a vertical position between the respective ports 8-9 and 10-11, to close the passage 17 momentarily. Then, when the piston 5 moves downwardly through its intake stroke, the passage 17 will move into communication with the intake ports 9 and- 11, and as a result the carbureted air will be drawn from the manifold 13 through the port 11, passage 17 and port 9 into the cylinder. Now, when the piston again moves upward through its compression stroke, the passage Y side of the ports 8 9, whilein the succeeding explosion aaaaeoa cylinder is forced through its explosion stroke tothe position illustrated in Fig. 3. The general action is the same as ordinary four-cycle engines, there being one eX- plosion to every two revolutions of the crank shaft. 'llhe 'operation is then repeated as before, excepting that the passage 17 is now in reversed position. It will therefore be noted that the valve 16 only makes one complete revolution for every four revolutions of the crank shaft. Upon the occurrence of one explosion' in'the cylinder, one valve is exposed through the the opposite side of the valve-is exposed through the ports 8 9. The opposite sides of the valve are thus alternately heated by the explosions, which will reduce the heating of the valve to a minimum.

Particular attention is directed to the fact that when the passage 17 is in communication with the intake -port 11, the respective passage 19 will be in communication with the port 20 of the port 11, while the other passage 19 is closed, as seen in Fig. 4, by the lower portion of the `housing 6. rlhus, the auxiliary explosion chamber 18 is in communication with' the intake manifold, and the carbureted air will. ,therefore also iiow into the auxiliary combustion chamber 18 from the intake manifoldv13 by way of therespective port 2O and ipassage 19. Vihen the explosion occurs in the cylinder, the carbureted air within the auxiliary com bustion chamber 18 will also be ignited, and the force of the explosion within the cham- Iber 18 will impinge against Ythe larger end of the valve 16 to hold said valve seated tightly within its housing during the explosion within the cylinder. This will prevent the explosion within the unseating the valve, it being notedthat the explosion within the cylinder will extend through the ports 8 9 so as to impinge against the tapered or'conical surface of the valve, which would, without the special means provided to prevent it, force the valve from its 'seat toward the larger end of the housing 6. Now, when the passage 17 communicates'with the exhaust port 10, as seen in Fig. e, the respective passage 19 communicates with the port 2O of said port 10, and this" allows theburnt gases to be exhausted from the chambe" 18, the same as from the cylinder. The passage 7 between the chamber 18 and interior of the cylinder from of lubrication. that portion, designated 37, of the vbetweenthe ports 8 and 9 with a longitudinal -its upper end spaced suitably from 'cylinder facilitates the circulation of gas into and out of the chamber 18. The auxiliary chambers 18 are of small proportions and utilize a minimum amount of fuel, the energy ex endedk naturally assisting in the driving o the pistonv away from the head of the cylinder, so that no energy is lost, since the valve 16 cannot yield in either direction .by the pressures exerted thereagainst.

The valves may be lubricated by any suitablenieans. v

Ther advantages and attributes of the invention' will no doubt be obvious to `those skilled in the art, without further comment-1 being necessary. A salient feature, however, of the invention resides in the factl that the operation of the engine can readily Vbe reversed by using the manifold 12 as an intake manifold, and the manifold 13 as an eX haust manifold, the carburetor being transferred from one side to the other.

In Fig. 5, there is illustrated a lubricating,r

device for the Valve, and each valve and its housing may be provided with the lubricating device, as will be readily apparent. In this case, the small endjof the housing 6 has an inturned flange 32 through which the stem 21 slides, and the smaller end ofthe housing has packing means 22 embracing the stem 21 to prevent leakage. An oil or lubricant chamber 33 is provided within the housing 6,between the smaller ends of the valve and housing, and the housing 6 has an inlet port 3st to which an oil or lubricant tube 35 is connected, said tube having a check.

valve 36 for preventing the oil being forced backinto the tube 3 5 from the chamber 33 by the pressure created within the chamber 33. Lubricant can thus be forced into the chamber 33 from the tube or pipe 35, and this provides a cushion for the smaller end of the valve, to cushion the valve when it is yforced into the housing by the explosion Within the auxiliary' chamber 18. rThis cushion will. avoid the jamming ofthe valve within the housing. and being forced into the housing will compress the oil within the chamber 33, thus forcing a thin film of oil between the contacting surfaces of the valve and housing for purpose it is preferable to provide housing 6 oil groove 38 in whiclrthe oil can lubricating the valve, the-groove collect, for 38 having the chamber 33, -to prevent the direct iiow of the lubri-cant from said chamber into said groove, but the groove 38 being at the lowest point of the housing will receive the surplus lubricant to prevent the same flowing into the cylinder. The spring 23, in this case, bears against the smaller end of the housing, and

furthermore, the valve in iis ,only exerts a pull sulficient to lightly draw 'the.valve into place.

seated in said housing and having a passagev for controlling the intake and exhaust, there beine an auxiliai'v ex e losion chamber within `said housingat the larger end of said'valve,

and said valve and housing having coperating means independent of said passage for tlieintake and exhaust ,of gas to and from said chamber simultaneously withtlie cylinder. 1 f

'2. In an explosion engine, a cylinder having a conical housing, a conical valve seated in said housing and having a passage for controlling the intake and exhaust, said `housing having an auxiliary explosion chainber therein at the larger end of said valve, said cylinder having a passage establishing communication between it and said chamber, and said valve and housing having coperatingy means independent of said passage for the intake and exhaust of gas to and from said chamber. simultaneously withthe cylinder. n

3. In anl explosion engine, a cylinder having a conicalhousing, said housing having vintake and exhaust ports, there being meansA of communication between said housing and cylinder, a conical valve seated in said housin g and having means for establishing communication between said ports and first mentioned means, there being an auxiliary explosion chamber in said housing at the larger end of said valve, and said valve having means independent of the aforesaid means of said valve forestablishing communication between said ports and chamber simiiltaneously 'when said ports are brought into communication with the cylinder.

4. In an explosion engine, a cylinder having a conical housing, said housing having intake and exhaust ports, there being'rne'ans of-communication between said housing and cylinder, a conical valve seated in said housing and having means for establishing communication between said ports and irstmentioned means, there being an auxiliary explosion chamber in said housing at the larger end ofsaid valve, and said valve havving independent means for establishing communication between said ports and chamber simultaneously when said ports are brought into communication with the cylinder, the

cylinder having a passage establishing communication between it and said chamber;

5. In an explosion engine, a cylinder having a. conical housing, said housing having intake and exhaustportssaid cylinder hav- :ing intake and exhaust ports establishing communication between-it and said housing,

valve having passages communicating with said'chainber and adaptedto register with the auxiliary ports to vestablish communication between said chamber and first mentioned ports when said irst mentioned ports are brought into communication with the cylinder.

G. -In an explosion engine, a cylinder having a conical housing, said housing having intake and exhaust ports,'said cylinder having intake and exhaust ports establishing communication between it and said housing, a rotatable conical valve seated in said housing and having a passage to establish com- .inunication between the intake and exhaust ports alternately, there being an auxiliary explosion' chamber within the housing atthc larger end of the said valve7 said housing having auxiliary intake and exhaust ports in communication with said first mentioned intake and lexhaust ports, and the larger end of they valve having passages communieating withI said chamber and adapted lto register with the auxiliary portsto estab-4 lish communication between said chamber and 'first mentioned ports when said-first 'mentioned ports are brought into communication with the cylinder, the cylinder having a passage establishing communication between it and said chamber.

7 Inan v explosion engine, a plurality of cylinders having spaced alining conical housings, rotary conical valves-seated in s'aidhousings, and means connecting said and slidably engaging the companion valves.

9. In an explosion engine, a plurality of cylinders having spaced alining conical housings arranged in the same position, caps closing `the larger ends of said housings, rotatable conical controlling valves seated in saidhousings, the smaller ends of said valves having independent lcoaxial stems projecting through the respective caps and slidably engaging the'larger ends of the companion lvalves, and spring means between said stems and the smaller ends of the housings foryieldably' seating the valves.

10. In an explosion engine, a cylinder having a conical housing, a conical controlling valveseated in said housing, there being an explosion chamber between the larger ends of the valve and housing, and a lubri cant chamber between the smaller ends of said` valve and housing, and means for supplying lubricant to said lubricant chamber, one of the contacting surfaces of the valve and housing having lubricant holding means toreceive lubricant forced between them.

` 1l. In an explosion engine, a cylinder having a conical housing, a conical controlling valve seated in said housing, there being an `explosion chamber between the larger ends of the valve and housing, and a lubricant chamber between the smaller ends of said valve and housing, the lower portion of said housing hav-ing a lubricant groove spaced from the lubricant chamber and adapted to receive lubricant forced between the valve and housing. 4

12. In an explosion engine, a cylinder having a conical housing, a rotatable conical controlling `valve seated in said housing, therebeing an explosion chamber between the larger ends of said valve and housing, and a lubricant chamber between the smaller ends of said valve and housing, and check valved means for delivering lubricant into the lubricant chamber, one of the contacting surf-aces of the valve and housings having lubricant holding means spaced from the lubricant chamber to receive lubricant forced between the valve and the housing.

'18. In an. explosion engine, a cylinder having aconical housing, a rotatable conical controlling valve seated in said housing and having a stem projecting from its smaller end through thesinaller end of the' housing, a spring between sai'd stein and smaller end of the housing to seat the valve within the housing, there being an explosion chamber between the larger ends of the valve and housing, and a lubricant chamber between the smaller ends of the valve and housing,

Vthe lower portion of the' housing having a longitudinal lubricant groove spaced from the .lubricant` chamber, and check` valved means for supplying lubricant into the 4lubricant chamber. f i

In testimony that I claim the foregoing -as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses Witnesses: H. R. FRANCIS, W. M. GAsToN.

DANIEL HIGHBERGER renters. Y 

